NCI Course Details

The course will help you understand the relationships between finance and other business disciplines. You will develop a critical and methodical approach to problem-solving and decision-making in a financial context and develop the ability to interpret and communicate financial and other information. The broader business viewpoint of the course will give you an excellent foundation in leadership and management and give you the broad perspective necessary for the modern interconnected business world.

This degree will equip you for a career in accountancy, finance and related fields. NCI has particular expertise in this area and graduates have achieved graduate-level employment positions.

You may also be able to take advantage of an opportunity to engage in a year-long, accredited work placement between years two and three. This placement will be credit-bearing and comprises an extra year in the degree. Access to such placements will be limited and highly competitive.

As a graduate of this course you will:

• Understand the theory and practice of accounting and finance.
• Develop your skills and knowledge in all areas of business.
• Be able to pursue a career in general management, accountancy or related fields.
• Be eligible for professional accountancy body exemptions.

Year 1

• Financial Accounting
• Fundamentals of Management
• Economics in the World
• Managing Your Learning
• Business Law for Accounting and Finance
• Mathematics for Business and Finance
• Financial Accounting
• Economics in the World
• Introduction to Financial Markets
• Quantitative Methods
• Information and Communications
• Technology in Accounting and Finance
• Marketing for Accounting and Finance

Year 2

• Financial Accounting
• Management Accounting
• Corporate Finance
• Taxation
• Quantitative Methods in Finance
• Company Law for Accounting and Finance
• Financial Accounting
• Management Accounting
• Corporate Finance
• Business Economics
• Corporate Governance and Ethics
• Collective Investments

Year 3

• Management Accounting
• Financial Reporting
• Law and Regulation
• Portfolio Analysis
• Derivatives and Risk Management
• Management Accounting
• Financial Reporting
• Contemporary Issues in Accounting and Finance
• Financial Statement Analysis
• Plus, a 5-credit elective in Semester 1 and a 10-credit elective in Semester 2

Electives

• Taxation
• International Financial Management
• Entrepreneurship
• Research project
• Auditing and Assurance

For more information on elective modules, as well as work placement details, please download the BA (Honours) in Accounting and Finance brochure.

For more information on the modules taught on this course view our module descriptors.

This undergraduate course is a three-year honours degree (four years with the option of a placement*). The course is run over six semesters with continuous assessment held throughout the course and examinations at the end of each semester.

In each year of the degree, any student with an overall average of 70+ will win a Dean's Award.

On completion, you will receive a QQI BA (Honours) Degree in Accounting and Finance at level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications.

*Students who complete the Career Management Skills module and meet set grade criteria are eligible (subject to availability) to complete a work placement on year three of the programme and graduate after four years with 240 ECTS credits.

Recent graduates from current accounting and finance degrees at NCI are employed as trainee accountants and tax advisors within the Big 4 and Top 10 accountancy firms together with industry and financial services. Many are undertaking the professional accountancy exams, and specific employers include: EY, Deloitte, BDO, Grant Thornton, JPA Brenson Lawlor, JP Morgan, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Citi, BNY Mellon, Moore Stephens, Cornmarket, PwC and Daiwa.

Read more about the career pathways of NCI accounting and finance students.

Upon successful completion of the BA (Honours) in Accounting and Finance, graduates can progress to postgraduate courses at level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications such as the MSc in Finance at NCI or pursue a professional accountancy qualification such as ACA, CPA, ACCA or CIMA.

The course will appeal to students who have an interest in the business world and who are looking to move into the international world of accounting and finance. The course is for school leavers, mature students and graduates of QQI level 5/6 programmes who wish to embark on a course of full-time study.

Graduates who meet the criteria decided by the professional accounting bodies may apply for generous exemptions from the examinations of professional accountancy bodies on completion of the course. These include Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI), Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Chartered Institute of Management Accounts (CIMA) and Certified Public Accountants (CPA) Ireland.

Exemption criteria are subject to change, students and graduates should check with the relevant professional bodies for the up-to-date criteria.

• Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI)
• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Ireland

Work placements are highly regarded by graduate recruiters and offer many advantages to students including valuable work-based skills and experience, the opportunity to make contacts in industry, assisting in developing personal and professional confidence and an opportunity to boost your employability prospects when you graduate.

This programme offers high achieving students the option to complete an 8-month paid work placement after successful completion of second year. This option is subject to strict requirements and will be discussed with students on entry to the course.

Minimum entry requirements are a grade H5 and above in two higher level subjects together with a minimum of O6/H7 in four other subjects. A minimum of grade O6/H7 must be obtained in English. A grade O5/H6 must be obtained in Mathematics.

For applicants whose first language is not English, please note the English language entry requirements.

Mature applicants, applicants with a disability or those applying through the DARE or HEAR access schemes can find out more information on the application process.

Please note that exams can be scheduled during the morning, afternoon or evening Monday to Saturday.

NCI strongly advises that all students should have access to a suitable laptop for their course. A student Laptop Loan Scheme may be available for certain eligible students.

The College recommends the following laptop requirements for students joining this course:

Processor:

Intel 7th (or higher) generation processors (Core i-3, i-5, i-7,i-9-7x)
or AMD Ryzen 3rd generation processors, running at 2.0GHz and above (Intel Atom/Celeron or AMD Athlon/Sempron Processors may cost less, but may not meet your requirements)

Random Access Memory (RAM):
8 GB minimum

Solid State Drive (SSD) Capacity:
256 GB minimum

Wireless Card:
802.11 a/b/g/n compliant with Bluetooth Capability (incompatibilities have been noted with the Qualcomm Atheros Wireless Adapters and software device drivers)

Graphics Card:
Direct X9 or later

Supported Operating Systems:
Windows 10 Home/Pro

The points for this course in 2022 were 330.
The CAO course code is NC022.

Students must obtain a minimum of 3 distinctions and a full award and meet the CAO points requirements to apply for this Level 8 course. 

Visit our QQI Applicants page for further information.
 

Did you know you can apply for a Sports Scholarship at NCI?

Watch this video to hear from our current sports scholars Stephen Achukwu (basketball) and Adam Leonard (football):

This course qualifies under the Free Fees Initiative and Student Grant Scheme.

The fees for this course for international students is €10,000 per year.

For domestic students applying through the CAO, this course applies under the free fees initiative.